Warrior's Code
by turtleback
Summary: This is a story of how Jane and Maura's friendship/relationship grows and evolves. Takes place in the Season 1 universe when they aren't very close yet. Final Chapter now posted. Read author's note in chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fic attempt. Constructive criticism will be very appreciated.  
****This is an interpretation of how Jane and Maura's relationship starts and evolves. The characters are pretty similar to their television versions but with my own twist for both of them. There should be at least 4 chapters and maybe more.  
The ratings system is a bit of mystery to me. It'll be M eventually so that's where I'm starting. **

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._**  
**

* * *

Wednesday morning, Boston Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli sat at her desk chatting with her current and ex-partners, Barry Frost and Vince Korsak. With no new murders coming in they had little to do all week but hang around the office. There was always paperwork to catch up on and Jane liked to spend free time looking through old open case files. It was a learning exercise but Jane figured one day she might see something the original investigators missed.

That afternoon Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles came into the homicide department to talk to another detective about a recent case. Before leaving she stopped to say hi to Frost, Korsak, and Jane. After a few minutes of small talk with Frost and Korsak, Maura turned her attention to Jane, who had been immersed in a case file. "Jane, I have tickets to the Boston Symphony Orchestra tonight and I was wondering if you would go with me? The seats are really good"

Jane could see Korsak smirking out of the corner her eye. "Uh, sure, sounds like fun."

Maura smiled. "Great. When you're done for the day will you come meet me down in the morgue?

"Okay." Jane watched Maura walk away and then turned to see both Frost and Korsak smiling at her.

"You two dating now?" asked Frost.

Jane chuckled. "Not that I'm aware of."

"Are you sure?" Korsak joined in.

"That would actually help explain Maura's recent behavior. This is the third thing she's asked me to go to in the past two weeks. First was the ballet and then there was a special exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. But she always asks when I'm around other people, like I won't say no if other people are listening."

"I wouldn't be complaining if she invited me to go somewhere," muttered Frost.

"Maybe she's trying to Eliza Doolittle you," said Korsak.

"Eliza what me?"

"You know, Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady." Korsak saw a blank expression on Frost and Jane's faces so he continued. "In My Fair Lady two rich guys make a bet about whether one of them can turn Eliza, a working class girl, into a high society lady."

"Screw you, Korsak." Jane looked down at her desk and picked up the case file she had been reading. Frost pretended he wasn't listening anymore.

'Hey, I'm just joking. I'm sure that's not what Dr. Isles is doing with you."

* * *

At 6:00pm Jane headed down to the morgue. She was feeling a little uneasy after what Korsak had said but figured she'd see how the evening went and try to not to worry about it. Jane walked into the morgue and saw Maura working at her computer. "Hey Maura, you ready to go?"

Maura jumped up smiling. "Yes. And don't worry the Symphony in Boston is relatively casual, so you'll be fine in your work clothes."

"Oh, great. Thanks for the tip."

Maura didn't seem to hear the annoyance in Jane's voice. "Let's go."

* * *

They didn't talk much during performance. Maura occasionally leaned over to whisper a detail about the piece or the composer in Jane's ear. Their seats were on the floor, very close to the stage.

After the performance Jane suggested they get dinner at a nearby pub. After sitting down in their booth, Maura smiled brightly and asked, "So, did you like it?"

"Yes, it was great. Although, I actually prefer sitting in the side balcony sections near the stage. I like being able to really watch the musicians play." Jane grinned. "Surprised?"

"Yes, I am. You've never mentioned going to the Symphony before."

"Well, since most of our conversations take place over dead bodies, I bet there are lots of things I haven't mentioned. Also, going to the Symphony or anything like that doesn't come up in conversation at work very often. Not a lot of classical music talk among the other cops."

"You mean you wouldn't talk about it because of what the other detectives might think?"

"Sort of." Jane took a deep breath. "Cops can be a tight-knit group and sometimes they can be suspicious of newcomers or outsiders. Working homicide cases, or in any possibly dangerous situation, you need to be able to have absolute trust in the people around you, that they will back you up and protect you if needed. A lot of the guys are at a minimum skeptical of women on the force so I don't need to do anything to make them more suspicious. I spend more time with the guys I work with than anyone else. I need them to trust me and I need to trust them. But that's not the only reason. We see a lot of messed up stuff on the job. There are some things I just need to keep separate, to keep for myself so the job can't touch it or take it away."

"I think I understand."

They ate silently for the next few minutes. Jane was coming to a decision about whether or not to ask Maura the question she'd been thinking about since that afternoon. "Maura, why did you invite me to with you tonight and before to the ballet if you didn't think those were things I was going to like?"

"I did think you would like them and I thought it would be nice to spend time together outside of work."

"But you didn't think they were things I'd choose to go to on my own, right? So why did you invite me? I'm sure you'd have no problem getting a date." Jane could see the color rising on Maura's face and started to regret her questioning, but after what Korsak said earlier she really wanted an answer.

"Going to the ballet and symphony are things I really enjoy. I'd rather not waste them on a date who's probably not going to be around very long. I don't have a very good dating track record. Usually I mention homicides or autopsies and that's the end of it. Isn't it hard for you too?"

"Yeah. Some people can't handle the murder aspect. A lot of people can't handle the unpredictable and long hours or the potential danger. A couple of missed dates because I'm working on a case and that's usually the end."

"What about other cops?" Maura asked.

"The police department isn't exactly full of model relationships. Haven't you noticed how many single or divorced people work there? Dating another cop would be a bad idea for me. If I'm trying to do my job while at the same time worrying if someone else is in a dangerous situation I won't be focused enough. It's easier to be alone."

Maura sighed. "I don't want to be alone. Most people can ignore what I do for a living for a few dates as long as I look pretty and put out, but when they really find out what my job is like they don't stick around. Or I diagnose them with a disease. People don't seem to like that very much."

Jane almost laughed at that but managed to hold it in and grinned instead. "I'm really glad you invited me tonight. I had a good time. But I get to pick where we go next."

"Ooh, where are we going?"

"You'll just have to wait to find out."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N It's not clear to me where Maura is supposed to live within the TV show universe so I'm saying she lives in the Beacon Hill neighborhood because it is convenient for my story.**

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._******  
**  


* * *

Jane thought she had a pretty good plan. She just had to get Maura to the Bruins game without letting her know where they were going. Her guess was that Maura had never been to a hockey game, although her past experience with Maura suggested that she shouldn't make any assumptions. If Jane was being honest with herself she'd admit that she was afraid this would somehow be a disaster. Maybe she should have continued to let Maura make the plans.

Friday morning Jane sent Maura a text: _Are you free tonight?_

Jane got an almost immediate reply: _Yes! Is it time for my surprise?_

Grinning, Jane typed back: _Yes. Wear something casual and warm because we're walking a little bit. I will pick you up at your house at 7pm._

"What are you so giddy about?" Korsak asked.

"I'm not giddy. I'm taking Maura to the Bruins game tonight. But don't tell her, it's a surprise."

"Be careful, Jane. Don't lead her on and don't hurt her."

"What the hell are you talking about now, Korsak?"

"I've known you a long time, Jane. Just don't hurt her."

* * *

Jane rang Maura's doorbell at exactly 7 o'clock and Maura came out ready to go.

"You wear heels even with jeans, huh?"

"Of course."

"Alright, c'mon. Don't complain, I told you we were walking."

It took about twenty minutes to walk to their destination and get to their seats.

"This is officially my first hockey game. But why didn't you just tell me this is where we were going?"

"Because I didn't want you to spend all afternoon looking up the rules. I just want you to relax and enjoy the game. Most of it is pretty self-explanatory and I can explain anything else that comes up during the game. And if we are really lucky at least one fight will break out."

"Among the spectators?"

"No, among the players."

Jane was really into the game and Maura couldn't help catching some of her enthusiasm as the Bruins scored early and kept the lead. The fans were also rewarded with an early fight and full scale brawl in the third period.

During the brawl Maura confessed, "I really don't understand the fighting."

Jane tried to explain, "The Atlanta player hit the Bruin's player with a cheap shot to his neck. It was a borderline dirty hit that could have been called a penalty but wasn't. His teammate took exception to the hit and went after the Atlanta player and it snowballed from there. The refs don't always see when dirty plays happen so sometimes you have to stick up for your teammates or for yourself."

"Hmm," was all Maura said.

"This was a bad idea wasn't it? You're not enjoying the game."

"As my first introduction to hockey it has been...eye-opening. I don't think the sample size is big enough to say whether or not I like hockey yet. I'm a little surprised you enjoy such a violent game. But I am enjoying spending time with you. So if you are nervous I'm not having a good time, don't be, I'm having a great time."

* * *

After the game they picked up some take-out and walked back to Maura's house to eat. Maura poured them both a glass of wine.

"I think I know why you like hockey," said Maura."

"Really? This outta be good. Please enlighten me."

"From what I observed tonight, hockey requires an incredible amount of skill but also an almost impossible amount of toughness. Teamwork is vital to success and protecting and sticking up for your teammates, even if it means risking bodily harm, is highly valued. It reminds me you and how you do your job."

Jane was taken aback and kind of embarrassed at Maura's description and how much thought seemed to go into it. She remembered Korsak's warning from that morning. Maura had unintentionally steered them toward a much more serious conversation and Jane focused on her food as she took a moment to decide how much further she wanted to go. "Uh, you know, being a homicide detective isn't just a job to me."

It was Maura's turn to be taken aback. She had no idea how they got here from hockey, "What do you mean?"

"Being a homicide detective, solving murders, bringing closure to families, it's more than a job to me. It's my purpose in life. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do and it's more important to me than anything else. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I use medical knowledge and science to determine cause of death and find other information to solve murders."

"That's an accurate description of your job. Is that all?"

Jane was staring at her so intently, Maura felt the urge to run away. Instead she returned Jane's gaze, willing herself to answer Jane's question. Looking directly into Jane's eyes, Maura said, "No, that's not all. I speak for the dead. It's my mission. They tell me their secrets and I speak for them."

"Good...I uh, I'm on duty this weekend so I should probably get going. I'll talk to you later." Jane was up and out the door before Maura could respond.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Big thanks to everyone reading and reviewing. **

******The title of the story refers to the Dropkick Murphys' song The Warrior's Code. **I was going to try to work something about the song into the story but I don't know if it'll happen. 

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._**  
**

* * *

Friday night, Dr. Maura Isles couldn't sleep. During the past two evenings with Jane, they'd had the most intimate conversations Maura had ever had with anyone. But after their conversation earlier that night, Jane had practically run out the door and Maura didn't know why. Maura kept replaying the past few days in her head over and over. By 3am she thought she had figured it out: Jane was trying to warn her. Warn her not to get too close, not get attached. Because Jane's first priority would always be her job and on the job Jane acted first and thought later. She was almost killed by Hoyt because she didn't take the time to get backup and she'd do the same thing again and again.

But it was too late because Maura was already too close and already attached.

* * *

Maura and Jane didn't talk again until seeing each other at work Monday. Maura didn't know how to approach Jane. She was afraid Jane would close herself off now. She wanted to figure how to move forward with Jane without scaring her away so she decided to let Jane take the lead. At least for now. She needed more time to determine how Jane really felt about her.

Jane and Frost caught a case Sunday evening and Jane came down to the morgue when Maura started the autopsy Monday afternoon. Maura was nervous, but Jane didn't act like anything was different. She was still teasing and flirty with Maura. Of course Maura hadn't really noticed before that Jane was flirting. That had been one of the things she'd realized during her weekend of thinking.

Over the next few weeks, Maura noticed some subtle differences. Jane was more patient about Maura's meticulous pace of work. Jane stopped pressuring her to guess about cause of death or to identify a reddish brown stain before the lab results came back. Maura had been afraid that Jane would try to keep a distance between them but the opposite happened. Having lunch together when they were both at work was now assumed rather than something one of them had to ask the other about.

Within a month they were having dinner on a regular basis. Soon after that they were spending their free evenings together, although with their schedules it wasn't as often as Maura would have liked. Jane always let Maura decide what they should do or where they should go. Often it was just take-out and a movie at Jane's apartment, but Jane always wanted Maura to pick the restaurant and the movie. And they talked. Maura was sure Jane knew almost everything about her now.

They always went to Jane's apartment. It was closer to work and Jane had Jo to take care of. Maura was fine with that arrangement. It allowed her leave and analyze their time together in a Jane-free zone. Jane avoided most physical contact and Maura never even tried to spend the night. But Maura was increasingly certain that Jane was attracted to her. She often noticed Jane staring at her and sometimes even noticed Jane exhibiting signs of attraction and even arousal when they were alone together.

After a few months of this routine, Maura conceded that Jane was never going to act and that she was going to have to do it. To take the first step towards something more.

* * *

Friday night after Maura came to her conclusion they were again at Jane's watching a movie. Maura fell asleep on the couch during the second half of the movie. When she woke up, she heard Jane in the kitchen cleaning up food and dishes. Maura knew she had to act now before she chickened out. She walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, gathering her courage.

Jane saw movement from the corner of her eye and looked up from the sink. "Hey, you're awake."

"Jane, are you happy?"

Jane shrugged, "Sure."

"I mean, are you happy with me, with us?"

Jane turned fully around to look at Maura. "Of course. Why? What's wrong? Did I do something?"

"It's just that this...what we're doing now...it's...it isn't enough." Maura walked across the room until she was standing directly in front of Jane. "It's not enough. I need more." Maura stood up on her toes and placed her lips on Jane's. Jane leaned in, kissing her back, her hands gripping Maura's waist and pulling her as close as possible. Jane parted her lips, allowing Maura entrance. Maura felt like she was melting into Jane, like she wouldn't be able to stand if Jane wasn't holding on to her.

When they pulled apart to breathe, Jane rested her forehead on Maura's. Jane's eyes were closed. She suddenly dropped her hands from Maura's waist and almost whispering said, "You should go now." Jane turned back around to the sink and didn't move until she heard Maura walk out and the sound of the door closing.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N I really didn't intend initially for Jane to keep running away, but it kept happening. This chapter is shorter but I hope it makes up for the running.**

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._

* * *

Jane's response to their kiss wasn't entirely unpredictable. It certainly wasn't what Maura had hoped for, what she had dared to imagine. But still, Maura was smart enough to know that the probability that Jane would react negatively was high.

What gave Maura pause was trying to decide if Jane's reaction could really be classified as negative. Jane definitely kissed her back before pushing her away, which Maura categorized as a positive reaction. Maura decided she needed more evidence before making any conclusions.

* * *

Sunday evening Maura decided she'd given Jane enough time alone. Jane hadn't tried to contact her and Maura did the same. But Maura wanted to talk again before they both went back to work on Monday so she picked up Chinese food and knocked on Jane's door at 6pm. Jane opened the door and let Maura in. Maura handed her the food, which Jane took into the kitchen. Maura closed the front door but stayed standing in front of it. Jane came back and sat on the back of the couch about ten feet away.

"I'm not going to apologize for kissing you."

Jane crossed her arms. "I'm trying to prevent you from getting hurt."

"You don't get to make that decision for me."

"Someday you'll need me and I won't be there for you, or I'll fail you in some other way."

"That's called life, Jane. The universe tends towards chaos. Things fall apart. Every culture has some way to express that basic concept. You can't just run from good things in life. And you can't pretend that you don't have feelings for me. It may have taken me awhile to realize it but you've been pursuing me for months. I didn't start this. But I'm not going to beg. You should be fighting for me, not against me."

Maura turned and started to open the door to leave, but Jane was suddenly behind her. Jane reached her left arm in front of Maura to close the door and kept her arm there to hold it closed. Maura could feel Jane's breath on her neck when Jane spoke. "No one else has been able to so completely see inside me."

Maura didn't dare move. "That doesn't make you weak."

"See, just like that."

"I don't understand why you think it's a bad thing to let someone in."

Jane's right hand slowly traced along Maura's neck, down her right arm, and settled on her waist. "Maybe I don't anymore."

"Why are you so sure you'll hurt me or fail me?"

"Because that's what I do. Usually I'm not trying to or even aware of it. But I get caught up in work and I miss important events. I forget birthdays and anniversaries. On some cases I'm working non-stop without a break. I get injured. Serial killers try to kill me."

"I don't care about any of that and I'm perfectly aware of the hazards of your job."

Jane leaned down and lightly kissed Maura's neck. "Stay?"

"Yes."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N In Gerritsen's books, Maura isn't from Boston, which I prefer and I've used here. This is irrelevant to my story, but I'm also annoyed that the TV show made up Boston Cambridge University (when greater Boston has 50+ real colleges and universities to choose from) and completely made up the route of the marathon.**

**This chapter is definitely rated M.**

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._**  
**

* * *

Jane trailed a line of kisses from Maura's shoulder up her neck to her ear before whispering, "Can I take you to the bedroom?"

"No. We're going to have a normal evening. I brought food so let's just eat now and we'll see what happens."

"You're right. Sorry, I've been holding back from you for so long and I got a little ahead of myself."

They relocated to the kitchen and Jane dished out food. They were silent as they started eating. Jane realized that she felt an unbelievable sense of relief, like there was a huge burden lifted from her. She finally realized how much she'd been holding in. _I've been so stupid. Why did I think it made more sense keep her from getting to close to me? _Every time she saw Maura she had wanted to touch her, hold her, kiss her. And now she was going to get to do all things. Or at least she was pretty confident she was going to get to. _Oh crap, this is complicated._

Jane looked up from her food and found that Maura was watching her with her head tilted slightly to the side and just the slightest hint of a smirk. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm sorry for trying to push you away, Maur. I won't do it anymore."

"I don't want you to feel like you have to protect me."

"I'm always going to want to protect you."

Maura took a deep breath. "I mean, I don't want you to try to protect me from you. Don't worry about how you're treating me. I'll tell you if there's a problem. I'm not fragile."

"I know you're not. Anything else we should discuss now?" Jane grinned.

"No. I don't want to over think this anymore. I don't want to talk about the details anymore. I just want to be with you and I trust you. That's all that matters from now on, okay?."

Jane finished her food. "I'm going to get this out of the way now then. The first time we met the only coherent thought I could manage was that you were the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. It was actually intimidating to be around you. But then I discovered you were also smart, and funny, and so genuinely kind. When you started asking me to do things with you I couldn't believe how lucky I was. I'm just sorry it took us so long to get here."

"We'll just have to make up for lost time. But now I'm going home. I've thought about being, um, intimate with you probably hundreds of times. But now that we're almost there, I don't want to feel like we've rushed into it." Maura smiled brightly, "I also think that you're going to have to earn it." Maura got up, gave Jane a kiss on the corner of her mouth, and left.

_Shit, I'm in trouble_, was Jane's only thought.

* * *

Jane and Frost caught a case on Monday that had them going non-stop until Thursday night. The first time Jane was really able to talk to Maura about anything but the case was Friday afternoon when she went to see Maura in her office office. "I really want to see you tonight, but I have to catch up on sleep, and tomorrow morning I have to see my parents, so are you free tomorrow afternoon and evening?"

"Jane, I'm always free to see you now so stop asking like that. If I had other plans I'd cancel them to spend time with you."

"That doesn't really ease any of my anxiety but that's great. Will you meet me in the public gardens at the George Washington statue at 4? And dress comfortably and I'd say no heels, but at least wear heels you're comfortable walking around in. Uh, yeah. Okay?"

"Okay, I can't wait."

"Me neither." Jane gave Maura quick kiss on the cheek and left.

* * *

Maura was already waiting when Jane got to their designated meeting spot. "Did you know that the idea that the number of feet a horse has raised in the air in statues of war heroes indicates whether the rider was injured or killed is just a myth?"

Jane gave Maura a quick kiss on the lips. "I know that you are adorable and you look amazing right now."

"Are you going to tell me what we're doing?"

"How much time did you spend studying Boston history before you moved here?"

"How did you know?"

"I've known you for more than five minutes."

"I might have read a few books."

"Well, consider this your test."

"But I didn't study."

Jane couldn't help laughing. "Don't worry, I'll grade on a scale. I thought we could take a little walking tour and then have dinner."

Jane led Maura through parts of the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the North End. Maura did know a lot of the history, but Jane knew all kinds of details about buildings and people and events.

By the time they sat down for dinner, Maura was really impressed, "I thought I couldn't be surprised by you anymore."

"That's uh...huh. I should probably take offense at that, but I'm going to take it as a challenge instead. I don't want to ever stop surprising you."

"Oh, Jane. That came out wrong. I meant that I thought already knew you so well, but now I find out something else you're amazing at."

"Oh right, that's what you meant to say."

"You're pretty good at planning a good date too."

"That is actually surprising since this is pretty much a first. I've barely been on a date since high school, let alone planned one." Jane saw Maura's confusion. "I mean I've been out with people on what some probably considered dates, but I wouldn't call them dates. I didn't care about them, or even getting to know them, it was just a means to an end."

"I'm just going to ignore that last part for now. I've been on plenty of dates and I know this was a good one."

"I hope it was good enough because I used up all my skills today."

* * *

After dinner, Jane walked Maura back to her house. Maura unlocked her front door but didn't open it and Jane took the opportunity to press up against Maura for a long, slow kiss. When they finally pulled apart Maura asked, "Do you want to come in?"

"Yes, but I want to do this right. I want to make sure I earn it." _Also, I'm nervous and scared out of my mind._

"You've already earned it. I want to be with you tonight. Please come inside?"

"Of course I will."

As the moved inside Maura asked, "Oh, do you have to take care of Jo tonight?"

"I left her with my parents. Not because I was expecting anything, but I wasn't sure how late we'd be out.

"Did you tell them what you were going to be doing?"

"Yes. They'd actually assumed we'd been together for awhile now, which was a little odd to hear, but good I guess."

Jane hadn't moved from her position just inside the door, and she was rubbing her palms. Jane knew that Maura knew she rubbed her hands when she was nervous or scared, but Jane was doing it without even realizing. Maura noticed of course. "Do you want something to drink, Jane?"

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"I'm going to go freshen up. Please come out of the doorway and make yourself comfortable, okay?"

Maura disappeared. Jane finally moved to take off her shoes and jacket. _Okay, get it together. She wants me to be here with her. I just gotta relax._ Jane sat down on the couch in Maura's living room. _I know, I'll try meditating. Maura's always telling me it's a great way to relax. _When Maura walked in the living room, Jane appeared to be asleep. Jane was sitting with her hands by her sides, her head resting against the back of the couch, and her eyes closed. Maura quietly walked over to the couch and climbed across Jane's lap so Maura was straddling her with her knees on either side of Jane's hips. Maura could feel Jane's body tense.

"Are you asleep?" Maura whispered.

"No, I'm meditating." Jane opened her eyes and said, "Oh, shit," when she saw that Maura had changed into satin tank top and shorts pajamas. Maura just laughed and leaned in to kiss Jane. Maura's kiss was slow and methodical. She wrapped her left hand around the back of Jane's neck and slowly ran her tongue around Jane's tongue. Jane slipped her hands under Maura's shirt and held on to her waist just above her shorts. The kiss continued as they each tried to explore every millimeter of each other's mouths. Maura's right hand drifted down Jane's chest and pulled her shirt up so she could run her fingers over Jane's stomach.

After a few minutes each of them started rocking their hips into each other. Maura pulled back and said, "I'm going to take you to the bedroom." Jane just nodded and followed Maura down the hall. Once in the bedroom Maura started pulling the covers down the bed and Jane once again froze in the doorway. Maura went to her and took her hand. "Jane, don't be nervous. You can't mess this up. Unless you run away. Just let me take care of you." Jane nodded again. "Come sit on the bed." Maura slowly pulled off Jane's sweater and bra. She pushed Jane back on the bed and removed Jane's pants and underwear and then took off all of her own clothes.

Maura climbed over Jane and started kissing her neck. Jane felt herself finally start to relax. The nervousness that came from the anticipation as much as anything else was gone and she trusted Maura more than anyone she'd been with before. Maura's mouth moved to Jane's right breast. Maura licked her nipple until it was hard and then sucked on it and gently held it between her teeth as Jane arched her back off the bed. Maura did the same with Jane's left breast. Maura kissed her way down Jane's stomach and then spread Jane's legs apart so she could settle between them.

Maura's tongue tasted Jane tentatively, but when Jane moaned and arched into the touch, she firmly ran her tongue through Jane's folds and over her clit. Jane moaned again but then grabbed Maura's arm and pulled her up. "I want you up here with me." Jane pulled Maura into a kiss, tasting herself on Maura's tongue, and both women moaned.

Maura placed her hand where her mouth had been, moving through Jane's wetness and then pushing two fingers into Jane. "Oh fuck, Maura." Maura pumped her fingers in and out and Jane rocked her body into Maura's hand. "Maura, I want to touch you too. Please."

Maura repositioned herself so she was propping herself above Jane with her left forearm. Jane's hand moved between them. "Oh, you're so wet Maura and so, so sexy." Jane entered Maura and quickly they were moving in rhythm with each other, kissing when they could manage it.

Maura felt her impending orgasm, faster, she thought, then had it ever happened before, and moved her thumb to rub Jane's clit. "Come Jane, come with me." At those words Jane bucked hard and moaned and she felt Maura shuddering before collapsing on top of her.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, each catching their breath. Maura slipped off of Jane onto her side and Jane turned towards her, wrapping her arm around Maura's waist to keep her close. Soon they both drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Contains spoilers for "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang." **

**There's a lot of fic that shows Maura taking care of Jane and/or their relationship after the shooting. Those are all awesome stories. But I think there's the possibility that rational Maura would react differently to Jane's actions, so that's the direction I'm going to go here.**

**Thanks for reading and comments!**

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._**  
**

* * *

The next morning Maura woke up feeling her limbs still entwined with Jane's. She opened her eyes to find Jane watching her. "How long have you been awake?"

"Awhile."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I've just been watching you sleep. Eew, that sounds a little creepy. In my defense, you are adorable when you're sleeping."

"Are we okay?"

"I think so. Don't tell me you're having regrets already."

"No. I just suddenly got worried I pushed you into this and maybe you didn't really want it or it was too fast."

"Hey, I wanted this. I want this. But since we both seem to be relationship-challenged we're just going to have to figure this out together, okay? I'm going to do the best I can."

* * *

After their first night together, not a lot actually changed. Maura and Jane were already spending most of their free time together, now they just added physical intimacy to their relationship. Jane touched her all the time. No matter where they were Jane always seemed to want to have her hand somewhere on Maura's body. It wasn't something Maura was accustomed to but she quickly learned to crave it.

Work schedules still dictated their lives. It was usually a few days non-stop on a case and then they'd get an evening or two to themselves until the next case. They returned to their usual routine of ending evenings at Jane's apartment. But Maura still never stayed the night. She wanted Jane to ask her to stay. Sometimes it felt stupid. Maura had taken the critical first steps to get them to this place. She knew Jane wouldn't ask her to leave if she did stay, but she needed Jane to ask. Maura liked having her own place to go home to. She had Bass. And she'd been used to having so much time alone for so long it was difficult to give that up. Still, if Jane would ask just once.

The sex was incredible. Maura didn't know if it was the result of her feelings for Jane or if it was just another surprising talent of Jane's. Shortly after that first night Maura had confessed to Jane how she'd felt the night she went to Jane's to not apologize. When Jane stopped her from leaving by almost pinning her to the door, Maura badly wanted Jane to take her right there. It took all of her willpower to say no to Jane then. A few nights after Maura's confession they went to Jane's after dinner and a movie. They were just barely inside when Jane spun Maura towards the door and had them back in that position, with Maura facing the door and Jane pressed against her back. "Like this?" Jane growled. Maura could only nod. "Don't move." Jane stepped back to take off her own clothes and then worked on removing Maura's. Once they were both naked Jane pressed back against Maura. Jane started sucking on Maura's neck. She lightly grazed her fingertips up and down Maura's sides until Maura was squirming. Then moved her hands more firmly to Maura's breasts, massaging them until her nipples were hard.

"Jane, please touch me," Maura moaned. Jane never made Maura wait when she asked. Jane repositioned herself so her right leg was pressed firmly against Maura's ass and held Maura in place with her right hand on Maura's waist. Jane's left hand dragged through Maura's wetness and settled on her clit, stroking with increasing speed. Maura stretched her arms out straight and pushed her hands against the door to keep herself upright. Bringing Maura to orgasm was usually enough on its own to bring Jane to the edge. Jane pushed herself onto Maura's hip, creating enough friction to bring her the rest of way. Jane moved her hand down and pushed two fingers into Maura. Maura came seconds later followed by Jane. Jane turned Maura around and pressed her back against the door, kissing her forcefully. Jane pushed her fingers back inside Maura and Maura did the same to Jane. Soon they both came a second time.

* * *

It was all more than Maura had dared hope for just a few months earlier and for now it was enough.

Then Danny was killed. Headquarters was attacked. Frankie was hurt. Bobby was dirty. And thinking she had to act to save Frankie, Jane shot Bobby and herself.

Jane was going to be fine. The bullet was a through and through, missing all the important organs and causing no major damage. She spent a few days in the hospital, with either her parents or Maura keeping watch, then was allowed to go home. She had at least a month on administrative leave to recuperate before she'd be allowed back to work.

Initially Maura had no thoughts other than Jane's health and safety. But once it was clear Jane was going to be fine and was settled back at home, Maura realized she had a lot to think about. She kept replaying that day over and over again, trying to figure out how Jane shooting herself could possibly be considered a rational decision given the circumstances. No matter how much she thought about it she had no answer.

After Jane had been home for about two weeks and was almost back to normal, Maura went to Jane's after work and launched right into what she needed to say before chickening out. "I don't know if I can handle this, Jane. I've always accepted that your job carries risks. I never ever expected you to put me before your job. But you shot yourself, Jane! It's just incomprehensible. You shot yourself. I thought at the very least now that you were with me you'd be less reckless. But I don't know now. I just don't know."

This was happening so suddenly, Jane wasn't sure if she was really comprehending what Maura was saying. "What don't you know?"

"I don't know if I can do this anymore. I need time alone to think. I'm sorry. I'll call you to check in tomorrow, but I can't come over for awhile." Before Jane could even begin to understand what had just happened, Maura was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._

* * *

The next afternoon Maura called to make sure Jane was fine and didn't need anything.

"Maura, I don't know what I'm supposed to say now. I know I'm not good with this stuff but I'm pretty sure you broke up with me yesterday. The only thing I need is for things to go back to the way they were."

"I didn't break up with you. I said I needed some time to think about things."

"To think about if you're going to break up with me?"

"You shot yourself. I don't know if I can handle that or handle what you might do next."

"I did what I did to save Frankie."

"So even if you had died it would have been worth it?"

"Yes."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to be okay with that. Has it ever crossed your mind how it would affect me if something happened to you?"

"I warned you, Maura. Remember? I warned you that this is how I did my job."

"I just need time, Jane. I'll talk to you later."

* * *

Later Angela stopped by with food for Jane, like she did almost every day since Jane had been home, and she could tell something was bothering her daughter. "What's wrong, Janie?"

"Ma, I need to ask you something. Do you think what I did was reckless?"

"Oh, honey. There seems to be endless ways for you to get injured at your job. You have always tried to protect others before yourself and you'd probably do that even if you weren't a cop. That's why I worry about you every day. Very few people would have gone after Hoyt without waiting for back-up but you wanted to save that woman even if you put yourself in danger. Same this time. You hurt yourself so Bobby couldn't hurt anyone else. There are a lot of ways to view that and reckless is definitely one of them. But it's who you are and I learned a long ago there was no way to change that."

"Can you tell that to Maura?"

"What are you talking about?"

"She said I was reckless and she didn't know if she could be with me anymore."

"Oh Janie, it's been an emotional couple of weeks. I'm sure she'll come around, just give her a little time. She loves you."

"How do you know she loves me?"

"Because I've seen you two together. It's obvious in the way she looks at you and how happy she is when you're with her. Hasn't she told you she loves you?"

"No."

"You've told her you love her, right?"

"Um, no. I mean I think I love her, but it's not something you just go around saying without being sure."

"Jane! No wonder she's running away from you. I would smack you if you weren't recovering from being shot. You better decide how you feel and tell her before you lose her."

"How do I do that?"

"You're going to have to figure that one out on your own."

* * *

_Jane's right. She warned me. I knew it could all fall apart and I accepted that as part of being with her. I told her I didn't care, that she should stop trying to protect me from getting hurt by her. Is it wrong to look for some kind of reassurance from her now? To show me that I matter to her? Am I the one being irrational now? But she shot herself. Of all the ways I thought she could get hurt this never even crossed my mind. Jane said she wants things to go back to the way they were. I don't know if I can. Honestly, that's not even what I want. I still want more. Even though I'm so angry with her part of me never wants to even see her again, and I'm terrified of what could happen in the future, I still want more._

* * *

Angela left Jane sitting on her couch, absentmindedly petting Jo who was stretched out next to her. "Fuck, how am I supposed to know what to do?" Jane looked at Jo. "Why don't I have someone to talk to about this who isn't a dog? I warned her that I would hurt her. She accepted that. And now she's angry at me because I did exactly what I told her I'd do. Is that my fault? Don't answer that, Jo. Okay, we have to think about this rationally. Maura is...everything. I want to be near her all the time. When she's gone for more than ten minutes I miss her. I want to go to sleep with her every night and wake up with her every morning, even though we've only done that once. Her smell makes me happy. Wow, that's a weird thing to say. Don't tell anyone I said that, Jo. Fuck, I'm having a conversation with my dog."

Jo seemed to take offense at that and got up to go to the kitchen to look for food. "I love Maura. What am I going to do now?"

* * *

The next day Jane asked Maura to come over after work. She couldn't wait any longer to see Maura. That evening Maura sat on Jane's couch while Jane paced the living room.

Jane said, "I want to tell you something but I have to ask you a question first. How come you never stay the night with me?"

"You've never asked me to."

"Oh."

"Why didn't you ever ask me to stay?" Maura asked.

"I thought you didn't want to because you always left. And I thought if I asked, you'd say no and then it would be awkward. But it turns out that we both just might be too dumb to be in a relationship."

"Is that why I'm here, so we can talk about how bad we are at this?" Maura started to get up.

"No, please stay. I have a few things to say, so please let me say them, and then you can respond however you want to."

"Okay," Maura sat back down.

Jane sat down on the coffee table facing Maura. "I'm sorry that I hurt you. That I didn't think about how my actions would affect you. I can't promise you that I won't do something like this again. It's just who I am. I will take irrational risks again in the future. But I can promise that I will try to make every moment we spend together worth it for you. I want to spend every available second we have together. I want to hear every piece of knowledge in your head. I want to do all things you love to do with you. I want to go to sleep with you and wake up next to you." Maura was looking down at her lap. Jane waited until she realized Jane had paused and looked up into Jane's eyes. "I love you, Maura. No, that's not quite right. I'm in love with you."

Maura was silent for a moment. "Can I ask why you're telling me all this now."

"When you left the other night, I thought that was it, that I was going to lose you. I talked to Ma. She told me I should tell you how I feel. You know I'm not really introspective. It seems stupid but I hadn't really thought about how I felt. I talked to Jo about it."

"You talked about your feelings with your dog?"

Jane shrugged, "She's a good listener. I realized I took you for granted. I took it for granted that we'd just keep keep going along like we had been. I didn't want to deal with feelings. I was wrong, as usual. I want us to really be together, no more holding back."

"I'm embarrassed to say I wanted to hear all of that. Or maybe I needed to hear all of that. I don't think I did before the shooting. Since then I needed something from you to show me that this was real to you. I love you too, Jane. I've been in love with you for what seems like forever. I want everything you want."

Jane leaned forward and Maura closed the distance between them and they shared a gentle kiss. "Will you stay here with me tonight?"

"Of course," Maura replied.

* * *

**A/N This might it for this story. What do you think?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Warrior's Code  
****Final Chapter**

_Disclaimer: Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles do not belong to me. No infringement intended and no profit will be made from their use._

**_A/N: __This was the first fanfic story I ever wrote. I just reread it for the first time since posting the previous chapter over nine months ago. Reading it again, I was more pleased with it than I thought I would be, except for Chapter 7. I think I was trying to wrap it up and move on to other ideas, and looking back I'm not thrilled with where I left it. I also have wanted to write something that addresses all of the risk taking that Jane does and all of the other characters ignore._**

* * *

They were a crime fighting team that couldn't be matched. Detective Jane Rizzoli used her street smarts and talent for reading people to narrow in on suspects. Dr. Maura Isles used her superior intellect and beloved science to provide the evidence to solve the case. Outside of work they were equally a force to be reckoned with. After their initial communication issues were solved, they settled into a regular routine and were nearly inseparable.

Jane had trouble understanding Maura's position about avoiding bodily harm. In every other way, Jane saw Maura as a warrior for justice just like her. Putting her personal safety at risk was something Jane was willing to do to save others. Jane made that clear from the beginning. So she went home to Maura unapologetically with cuts and scrapes and bruises. Jane didn't hide them and Maura chose not to discuss them.

And Jane fucked Maura like a champion. After her initial tentativeness wore off, Jane approached fucking just like everything else in life, like she needed to be the best. It was the first time she really cared about her partner's pleasure. Or more specifically, giving her partner pleasure. It was fine for the guys she slept with to get their pleasure, but she didn't much care for helping them out and they didn't seem to mind too much as long as they did get off. Plus, they seemed to only have a cursory interest in her pleasure.

But with Maura it was totally different. It was never enough for Maura to come just once. She wanted to hear Maura screaming her name over and over again and she never failed.

After Jane shot herself, Maura had concluded that it was worth being with Jane despite her recklessness and propensity for finding danger. Jane promised that she would try to be more conscientious about her safety, but Maura knew not to expect too much. Jane would always go above and beyond the call of duty in the name of justice. That was the fire inside her. It was her calling and purpose. And it was part of why Maura wanted her and loved her. To have the same intensity Jane had for the job directed towards her as well was incredible.

* * *

However, Maura faltered the day Jane, against orders, intervened in a bank robbery turned hostage situation. She didn't hear the the story from Jane, she heard it from Frost. He called Maura after it was over because he was concerned about how reckless Jane had been in pursuing this case. Maura thanked him for his concern, assuring him that it was just Jane being Jane, and then privately considered whether Frost was right to be concerned.

It had been a stressful week. Jane's interest in solving the case was compounded by needing to prove that Tommy wasn't involved. But after hearing Frost's version of events, Maura allowed herself for the first time in a long time to contemplate what it would mean to her if something happened to Jane.

By the time Jane arrived home Maura was quietly fuming. Maura was standing in her kitchen and Jane immediately sensed something was wrong. "Hey, what's going on?"

"You walked into a hostage situation." It was a statement not a question.

Jane walked over to Maura and said, "There was a who woman desperately needed medical attention."

"You went in without your gun."

"I was trying to talk them down. The FBI wasn't doing anything but standing outside pointing guns. Those guys were desperate, they needed a way out."

"Desperate means stupid. You almost got shot."

"But I didn't. I had tons of backup. Everything is fine, but I'm sorry for scaring you." When Maura didn't respond, Jane added, "What else do you want me to say, Maura?"

"I just want some acknowledgement that I am important to you. I know you love me but sometimes I need to know that you think about how it would affect me if something happened to you and that your feelings for me factor into the decisions you make everyday."

Jane reached for Maura and tried to take her into her arms, but Maura shrugged her off and walked away. "Today was different. I had to help Tommy," Jane said. "I've tried to be safe ever since I was shot."

"The times I know you are out chasing someone down...I get through it by willfully ignoring what you're doing and what you might do in the pursuit of justice for someone else. It takes a lot of energy to do that."

Jane left the kitchen and walked towards the front door. Maura thought she was going to leave but instead Jane went to the table next to the door and opened the drawer she used to store her gun and badge. She returned to the kitchen holding her badge and held it out for Maura to take.

Maura took it and sighed. "Jane, I already know how important this is to you."

"Look behind the badge," Jane replied.

Maura was confused but opened the pouch that held Jane's BPD Detective's badge and pulled out a 2 inch by 2 inch picture of the two of them. Maura vaguely remembered Jane taking the picture of the two of them in her house with her phone shortly after they started dating. Maura was smiling at the camera and Jane was looking adoringly at Maura.

"I always have that with me when I'm working. Whenever I pull out my badge, I think of you. When it's on my hip, so are you. You are always with me. I'm not perfect and I can't promise I won't mess up sometime and get seriously hurt. And I can't control everything that happens around me. But as much as you want me to come home everyday, I want to come home to you more.

Maura had tears in her eyes and sniffled as she said, "Well now you're just making me feel bad for being angry with you."

Maura allowed Jane to envelope her in a hug. "I should have told you all of that before."

"So I can still blame you for something?"

"If it makes you feel better."

Maura buried her face in Jane's chest as she composed herself. Finally she looked up and said, "I feel better but you have to acknowledge that your actions today crossed a line."

Jane looked into Maura's eyes and said, "I let the situation with Tommy cloud my judgement and I messed up. Please forgive me."

"I've heard make-up sex can be very satisfying."

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

"Yes, you are forgiven." Maura wrapped her legs around Jane as Jane picked her up by the ass and shrieked as Jane went running with her towards the bedroom.


End file.
